AmBank manager: Najib did not complain about transactions in his accounts

KUALA LUMPUR (April 25): AmBank Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager R Uma Devi (pictured) told the High Court here that former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak did not make any complaints regarding the transactions in his five accounts, including those where he allegedly received huge sums of money and also issuing cheques.

Uma Devi, who is the 21st prosecution witness, said customers are given the statement of accounts every month, and they are given 14 days to make complaints if there are any disputes.

"There was no notification by Najib that there were discrepancies, or unauthorised transactions in the statements issued. There are no complaints made by Najib over how the three (of the five) accounts are managed," she said in response to questions from lawyer and appointed prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram.

Since yesterday, Uma Devi, who has been the AmBank Raja Chulan branch manager, had testified about money going in and out of SRC International Sdn Bhd's, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd's and Najib's accounts, and also the payments made by the former premier.

The former premier is facing three counts of money laundering involving RM27 million, RM5 million and RM10 million which he allegedly received from Dec 26, 2014 to Feb 10, 2015.

He is also faced with three counts of criminal breach of trust and also one for abuse of power involving the total amount of RM42 million.

Uma Devi testified that the RM27 million which was credited into Najib's account came from Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd and the other RM5 million also came from Ihsan Perdana. The date of the transactions was Dec 26, 2014 as per the charge sheet.

She also told the court presided by Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that RM10 million was credited to Najib's account on Feb 10, 2015. This corresponds to the RM10 million money laundering charge.

The 21st prosecution witness had so far shown that the money had entered into the accounts and that Najib had issued cheques for 15 transactions (see Table 1 and 2 below).

Some of the recipients from the 15 transactions had testified in court over the course of last week and earlier this week about receiving payments from Najib's account following work done.

Uma Devi was also shown the four mandate letters that Najib gave to SRC director and former chief executive officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as well as another letter from Nik Faisal acknowledging the mandate letters.

The witness further told the court this morning that Najib closed three of his accounts and that the balance of RM103,361.17 was deposited in Ihsan Perdana's account.

Reminded of undertaking

Earlier in the morning, Uma Devi also testified, in response to a question from DPP Datuk Suhaimi Ibrahim, that Najib received RM3.5 million in his account sometime in February 2015, and that on the same day, the former premier issued a cheque from that account to pay Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak (Table 2).

The firm is where Datuk Wira Mohd Hafarizam Harun is a partner, and he was also charged with money laundering for receiving the amount from Najib.

Uma Devi further explained that anyone opening an account has to acknowledge and agree to the terms set by the bank.

Sithambaram read the acknowledgment in the opening of the account that states:

"I/We agree that our application for products and services provided by AmBank Bhd, and AmBank Islamic Bhd is governed by general terms of the govt Acts and services, and specific terms and conditions if applicable.

"I/We agree to adhere to the general terms and conditions for accounts and services and specific terms and conditions if applicable.

"I/We hereby acknowledge that I/we voluntary open the account, and will be responsible for all transactions conducted under the account and will scrutinize and verify transactions under the account.

"I/We shall be liable for all transactions through the account which are in violation of the law."

Uma Devi agreed to the disclosure made in the opening of the accounts in AmBank and verified Najib's signature in opening the accounts there.